Written Answers Tuesday 29 September 2009

Scottish Executive

Civil Servants

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its civil servants have lodged formal grievances or complaints in each of the last three years, broken down by (a) type of grievance or complaint and (b) directorate.

John Swinney: There have been 11 Dignity at Work complaints within the core Scottish Government since September 2006. Dignity at Work is the generic term under which complaints of bullying and harassment can be made. The Scottish Government does not hold central records of grievance complaints. The 11 Dignity at Work complaints are broken down within the following Directorates by year:

  September 2006 to August 2007

  

 Directorates
 Type of Complaint
 Complaints
 Outcome


 DG Justice and Communities
 Bullying/Harassment 
 1
 Case withdrawn by complainant 


 Total
 
 1
 



  September 2007 to August 2008

  

 Directorates
 Type of Complaint
 Complaints
 Outcome


 DG Economy 
 Bullying/Harassment 
 2
One case was foundedOne case was withdrawn - no case to answer


 DG Education 
 Bullying/Harassment 
 1
 Case was founded


 Total
 
 3
 



  September 2008 to August 2009

  

 Directorates
 Type of Complaint
 Complaints
 Outcome


 DG Environment 
 Bullying/Harassment 
 1
 Case ongoing


 DG Justice and Communities
 Bullying/Harassment 
 2
 Both cases unfounded


 DG Finance and Corporate Services
 Bullying/Harassment 
 4
Two cases were withdrawn and resolved through SG performance management procedures Two cases are ongoing


 Total
 
 7

Civil Service Relocation

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil service jobs have been relocated from Edinburgh to each local authority area in each year since 1999.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government relocation and asset management policy is aimed at ensuring the best use of the existing government estate, providing the best value for money for the Scottish Government as a whole, and maintaining or improving operational effectiveness. This approach means that relocation is an option that will be pursued following a rigorous and transparent process that shows there are efficiencies for Scotland and that the move provides best possible value for money. Opportunities for relocation continue to be assessed.

  Details of the decisions on relocation can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/finance/papers-06/fip06-32.pdf.

Crime

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the comments of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice reported on the BBC website on 17 September 2009 that the Scottish Government would "not allow hard-working cabbies, who borrow from the bank to mortgage their home to buy a cab and make a living, to be driven off the road by crooks and gangsters", what actions it anticipates that the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce will take to achieve this in the next two years

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the comments of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice reported on the BBC website on 17 September 2009 that the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce (SOCT) planned to "send a clear message to organised criminals that there is no room in this industry for those who want to use taxi and private hire car firms as a front for illegal activities", what actions it anticipates that SOCT will take to achieve this.

Kenny MacAskill: On 2 June 2009, the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce launched its strategy entitled Letting our Communities Flourish: A Strategy for Tackling Serious Organised Crime in Scotland . This can be found at the following link: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/274127/0081989.pdf .

  The strategy highlights the actions that the taskforce propose to take to tackle serious organised crime in Scotland, including work to support legitimate business.

  The taskforce has set up a sub group to look at procurement throughout the public sector in Scotland. Recommendations from this group, along with a proposed scheme to allow public sector bodies awarding large contracts to seek advice from the new Scottish Intelligence and Co-ordination Unit, should help ensure that organised crime groups do not benefit from public money.

  Furthermore from 16 November all taxi booking offices where bookings are taken for four or more taxis or private hire cars will require to be licensed. Licensing will provide that those responsible for the operation of a booking office are subject to criminal checks to ensure that they are a fit and proper person to hold a licence. The introduction of licensing will provide closer scrutiny of the operation of booking office businesses and should act as a deterrent to unscrupulous elements bent on infiltrating the trade as a front for their illegal activities.

Crime

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice in the news release of 15 September 2009 of £250,000 of additional funding that will go toward the recruitment of 19 additional financial investigators to tackle serious organised crime, how many financial investigators will be based in each force and how this was determined.

Kenny MacAskill: The Serious Organised Crime Taskforce’s strategy for tackling serious organised crime in Scotland, Letting our Communities Flourish, was published on 2 June. This set out proposals for a small proportion of money recovered from proceeds of crime to be reinvested in police forces to help increase the amounts seized.

  The additional funding announced on 15 September followed discussions between the Scottish Government and Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland who identified the most suitable forces to benefit from this funding. The funding being provided by Scottish Government will be match funded by the police forces involved. This will result in 11 financial investigators in Strathclyde Police, five in Lothian and Borders Police and three in Tayside Police.

Crime

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice in the news release of 15 September 2009 of £250,000 of additional funding that will go toward the recruitment of 19 additional financial investigators to tackle serious organised crime, what the investigators’ remit will be; what targets will be set for their performance, and how their performance will be evaluated.

Kenny MacAskill: The role of the financial investigators will be to identify ways to boost asset recovery at police divisional level. Their precise remit will be for the chief constable of the relevant police force to determine. No monetary targets will be put in place but the effectiveness of the pilots will be evaluated and the Scottish Government is discussing with Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland the necessary evaluation and performance monitoring arrangements.

Crime

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice in the news release of 15 September 2009 of £250,000 of additional funding that will go toward the recruitment of 19 additional financial investigators to tackle serious organised crime, whether there will be an incentive element for (a) individual financial investigators, (b) police forces and (c) other agencies and, if so, what form it will take and what impact it is expected to have.

Kenny MacAskill: There will be no incentive element for any individual financial investigator, police force or any other agency. We will assess the impact of these additional investigators on asset recovery and if successful will consider whether there should be further reinvestment in the forces involved or rolled out to other forces. We are committed to the very successful Cashback for Communities scheme and have no plans for an incentivisation scheme in Scotland.

Crime

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice in the news release of 15 September 2009 of £250,000 of additional funding that will go toward the recruitment of 19 additional financial investigators to tackle serious organised crime, when the police staff will be (a) recruited and (b) operational

Kenny MacAskill: The forces involved are taking steps to recruit these staff as soon as possible. I understand that Lothian and Borders police have already recruited two extra financial investigators.

Crime

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that all assets and proceeds of crime recovered from serious organised crime should be returned to the communities harmed by the crime.

Kenny MacAskill: Funds recovered under the proceeds of crime legislation are distributed via the Scottish Government Cashback for Communities scheme, using a formula that reflects need. The formula distributes funds across local authority areas based on the percentage of 10 to 19 years olds, deprivation and rurality. We believe this will ensure all our young people benefit, but those areas with more need will receive more support. We will of course keep an eye on the impact of this formula to ensure it is matching resources to need.

  Scottish ministers are committed to the Cashback programme, however, a small proportion of the money recovered from proceeds of crime has been made available to the operational units under the direction of the Crown Office and also the police service to help bolster efforts to disrupt criminal activity and recover more assets and criminal profits and ultimately help increase the money available under the Cashback scheme.

Domestic Abuse

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of domestic abuse against (a) women and (b) men have been recorded by the police in each of the last 10 years, broken down by police force.

Kenny MacAskill: The following table shows the information available on the number of incidents of domestic abuse recorded by the police, by police force area, where sex of victim was recorded, Scotland, 1999-2000 to 2007-08. Approximately half of all incidents recorded lead to a crime or offence being recorded by the police.

  

 Police Force
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02


 All Incidents Where Sex Recorded
 All Incidents Where Sex Recorded
 All Incidents Where Sex Recorded


 Female
 Male
 Female
 Male
 Female
 Male


 Central
 1,300
 121
 1,407
 129
 1,781
 149


 Dumfries and Galloway
 653
 47
 626
 72
 876
 113


 Fife
 2,569
 180
 2,013
 87
 1,868
 60


 Grampian
 3,660
 343
 3,848
 363
 3,607
 327


 Lothian and Borders
 6,390
 384
 6,598
 341
 6,196
 484


 Northern
 495
 53
 1,584
 237
 1,560
 197


 Strathclyde
 13,135
 1,244
 13,228
 1,268
 13,572
 1,564


 Tayside
 2,311
 152
 2,935
 376
 2,540
 316


 Scotland 
 30,513
 2,524
 32,239
 2,873
 32,000
 3,210



  

 Police Force
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05


 All Incidents Where Sex Recorded
 All Incidents Where Sex Recorded
 All Incidents Where Sex Recorded


 Female
 Male
 Female
 Male
 Female
 Male


 Central
 1,471
 149
 1,651
 162
 1,863
 181


 Dumfries and Galloway
 802
 98
 751
 108
 931
 124


 Fife
 1,851
 69
 2,020
 100
 2,523
 205


 Grampian
 3,693
 435
 3,756
 513
 3,810
 563


 Lothian and Borders
 6,516
 648
 6,862
 714
 6,974
 861


 Northern
 1,444
 136
 1,453
 162
 1,358
 167


 Strathclyde
 13,533
 1,630
 16,096
 2,000
 17,642
 2,390


 Tayside
 2,967
 385
 3,549
 281
 3,049
 466


 Scotland 
 32,277
 3,550
 36,138
 4,040
 38,150
 4,957



  

 Police Force
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08


 All Incidents Where Sex Recorded
 All Incidents Where Sex Recorded
 All Incidents Where Sex Recorded


 Female
 Male
 Female
 Male
 Female
 Male


 Central
 1,787
 177
 2,249
 203
 2,887
 384


 Dumfries and Galloway
 1,015
 176
 1,057
 180
 1,057
 147


 Fife
 2,980
 259
 3,325
 364
 3,460
 460


 Grampian
 3,106
 454
 2,760
 377
 2,979
 427


 Lothian and Borders
 7,708
 916
 8,614
 1,002
 7,788
 1,178


 Northern
 1,383
 171
 1,086
 138
 1,014
 123


 Strathclyde
 18,615
 2,760
 20,091
 3,215
 20,185
 3,497


 Tayside
 3,246
 534
 3,182
 525
 3,132
 537


 Scotland
 39,840
 5,447
 42,364
 6,004
 42,502
 6,753



  Data for 2008-09 will be available in the statistical bulletin Domestic Abuse Recorded by the Police in Scotland, 2008-09 which is due to be published on 24 November 2009.

Domestic Abuse

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were (a) prosecuted, (b) convicted and (c) given a custodial sentence in cases involving domestic abuse in each of the last 10 years, broken down by police force area.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons proceeded against for an offence with a domestic aggravator recorded1, 2005-06 to 2007-08:

  

 Police Force
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08


 Central 
 
 
 


 Proceeded against
 8
 119
 277


 Convicted
 8
 104
 247


 Custodial sentence
 2
 9
 19


 Dumfries and Galloway
 
 
 


 Proceeded against
 185
 210
 219


 Convicted
 161
 192
 195


 Custodial sentence
 17
 16
 22


 Fife 
 
 
 


 Proceeded against
 21
 23
 45


 Convicted
 19
 21
 36


 Custodial sentence
 0
 2
 5


 Grampian 
 
 
 


 Proceeded against
 47
 210
 247


 Convicted
 39
 192
 221


 Custodial sentence
 4
 15
 12


 Lothian and Borders 
 
 
 


 Proceeded against
 598
 747
 693


 Convicted
 553
 666
 635


 Custodial sentence
 46
 63
 64


 Northern 
 
 
 


 Proceeded against
 117
 234
 260


 Convicted
 109
 225
 247


 Custodial sentence
 6
 18
 26


 Strathclyde 
 
 
 


 Proceeded against
 3,664
 3,998
 3,647


 Convicted
 3,117
 3,509
 3,176


 Custodial sentence
 351
 373
 396


 Tayside 
 
 
 


 Proceeded against
 319
 322
 305


 Convicted
 291
 282
 272


 Custodial sentence
 32
 25
 35


 Scotland
 
 
 


 Proceeded against
 4,959
 5,863
 5,693


 Convicted
 4,297
 5,191
 5,029


 Custodial sentence
 458
 521
 579



  Note: 1. The recording of aggravators has improved with time therefore caution is needed when comparing changes over time. 2005-06 is the first year where it has been considered that the use and recording of domestic abuse aggravator codes from the Scottish Government Court Proceedings Database has been of sufficient coverage to be used.

Finance

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3M-26789 by John Swinney on 8 September 2009, how much of the accelerated capital programme funding for 2009-10 has been spent, in terms of money having been transferred from Scottish Government accounts, also showing where the money has been received and in relation to what projects.

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-26790 by John Swinney on 8 September 2009, what proportion of the accelerated capital programme funding for 2009-10 has been spent, in terms of money having been transferred from Scottish Government accounts.

John Swinney: The decision to accelerate spending was taken in order to speed progress on a range of specific projects, and work is continuing to deliver these projects. The associated spending is being committed in accordance with government procurement and accounting procedures, and will be transferred to contractors’ and others’ accounts as invoices are presented. We forecast that all of the accelerated capital will be spent in the course of 2009-10, as planned.

Finance

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its progress report of 30 June 2009 to the Public Audit Committee on major capital projects with a value in excess of £50 million, whether each of the estimated capital values of the projects is an (a) outturn or (b) other price.

John Swinney: None of the estimated figures provided were on the basis of an outturn figure as final figures for each project will not be known until construction is complete. In relation to those PFI and NPD projects the figures provided are the public sector procuring body’s estimate of the capital value of the project that the private sector will create for delivering services under the contract.

Finance

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its progress report of 30 June 2009 to the Public Audit Committee on major capital projects with a value in excess of £50 million, whether these projects are prioritised and, if so, how.

John Swinney: The 2008 Infrastructure Investment Plan (Bib. number 45134) makes clear that all of the government’s resources and policies, including major capital projects, are focused on achieving the government’s central purpose; to create a more successful country where all of Scotland can flourish through increasing sustainable economic growth.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, following the announcement of inspections by the Healthcare Environment Inspectorate on 21 September 2009, for what reason NHS Borders and NHS Fife will not be subject to an inspection between September 2009 and September 2010.

Nicola Sturgeon: On 21 September 2009, the Healthcare Environment Inspectorate (HEI) published a list of the NHS boards who will have at least one announced inspection from HEI between September 2009 and September 2010. As detailed in the announcement, HEI will also undertake unannounced inspections during this period, however the programme for these will not be published.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, following the announcement of inspections by the Healthcare Environment Inspectorate on 21 September 2009, how many hospitals will be subject to full inspection during September 2009 and September 2010.

Nicola Sturgeon: The current work programme for the Healthcare Environment Inspectorate for the year September 2009 to September 2010 has 28 inspections planned, this includes both announced and unannounced inspections. However, there has been sufficient slack built into the work programme to undertake additional inspections and follow up inspections as and where required.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, following the announcement of inspections by the Healthcare Environment Inspectorate on 21 September 2009, how inspections will be carried out; what information will be sought, and whether all hospitals will be visited in any given NHS board area.

Nicola Sturgeon: The inspection methodology and accompanying policies for Healthcare Environment Inspectorate (HEI) has been published on the QIS website: http://www.nhshealthquality.org/nhsqis/6710.html .

  The HEI work programme was developed using a risk-based approach and has 28 inspections planned for the year September 2009 to September 2010. Using ISD classification there are 47 acute hospitals within NHSScotland. The remaining acute hospitals not included within the first year’s work programme will be included within subsequent work programmes. As detailed within the Scottish Government consultation paper, every acute hospital will be visited at least once within any three year period.

Heritage

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding has been given to promoting and developing facilities for the Antonine Wall since it became a World Heritage Site and how this money has been spent.

Michael Russell: Since the Antonine Wall was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in July 2008, the partnership group responsible for the implementation of the World Heritage Site Management Plan (which includes Historic Scotland, Forestry Commission Scotland, the five local authorities and other interested organisations) has begun work to provide an action plan to ensure that there is a consistent approach to access and interpretation along the line of the Antonine Wall. The action plan, being led by North Lanark local authority, will be complete by November 2009. Presentation guidelines and an interpretation plan, being led by Historic Scotland, will be complete by April 2010 and September 2010 respectively.

  In order to raise the profile of the wall – as a single monument- a new logo has been designed and agreed to be used for the promotion of the wall by the local authorities and community projects.

  There has been no additional funding allocated to date and each of the organisations is contributing expertise or funding to the planning. However, once the action plan is agreed, the projects to deliver a rolling programme of improvement will seek funding and this is likely to come from a variety of sources, not just the public purse. In addition, there are a number of initiatives already being undertaken by individual local authorities, local community and interest groups. These include the Space Unlimited Project undertaken with young people from secondary schools along the wall and the recently started Central Scotland Forest Trust community engagement project. The work of the Management Plan Group is not to prescribe such projects, rather it is to give a coherence and support to them.

  Plaques, to be erected in each local authority area, marking the inscription of the new World Heritage Site have been manufactured and will be installed over the coming weeks.

Justice

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many interviews on the release of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi the Cabinet Secretary for Justice gave between the announcement of release and 3 September 2009.

Kenny MacAskill: Seventeen.

Ministerial Meetings

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth has met the President of COSLA since May 2007; what other members of COSLA were present, and what subjects were discussed at each meeting.

John Swinney: The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth has met with the President of COSLA and other members of COSLA on regular occasions since May 2007. In addition, the Cabinet Secretary has also met regularly with COSLA’s Political Group Leaders. Those meetings have included discussion on a range of issues.

NHS Staff

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) nurses and (b) other NHS workers have sustained an injury while lifting patients in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally and this is a matter for individual employers. The Scottish Government has supported NHS boards in developing their Occupational Health services including the roll out of the OHSxtra model that provides enhanced physiotherapy services for staff with musculo-skeletal problems. The minimum standard for the management of manual handling is set out in the Managing Health at Work Policy guideline and all boards have manual handling training programs. These training programs will include safe handling techniques, risk assessment and the use of lifting equipment.

NHS Staff

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many days were lost in the NHS through staff absence due to an injury sustained while lifting patients in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally and this is a matter for individual employers. The Scottish Government has supported NHS boards in developing their occupational health services including the roll out of the OHSxtra model that provides enhanced physiotherapy services for staff with musculo-skeletal problems. The minimum standard for the management of manual handling is set out in the Managing Health at Work Policy guideline and all boards have manual handling training programs. These training programs will include safe handling techniques, risk assessment and the use of lifting equipment.

NHS Staff

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) nurses and (b) other NHS workers have left the NHS due to long-term injuries received while lifting patients in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally and this is a matter for individual employers. The Scottish Government has supported NHS boards in developing their occupational health services including the roll out of the OHSxtra model that provides enhanced physiotherapy services for staff with musculo-skeletal problems. The minimum standard for the management of manual handling is set out in the Managing Health at Work Policy guideline and all boards have manual handling training programs. These training programs will include safe handling techniques, risk assessment and the use of lifting equipment.

NHS Staff

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) nurses and (b) other NHS workers have sustained an injury while lifting overweight and obese patients in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally and this is a matter for individual employers. The Scottish Government has supported NHS boards in developing their occupational health services including the roll out of the OHSxtra model that provides enhanced physiotherapy services for staff with musculo-skeletal problems. The minimum standard for the management of manual handling is set out in the Managing Health at Work Policy guideline and all boards have manual handling training programs. These training programs will include safe handling techniques, risk assessment and the use of lifting equipment.

NHS Staff

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many days were lost in the NHS through staff absence due to an injury sustained while lifting overweight and obese patients in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally and this is a matter for individual employers. The Scottish Government has supported NHS boards in developing their occupational health services including the roll out of the OHSxtra model that provides enhanced physiotherapy services for staff with musculo-skeletal problems. The minimum standard for the management of manual handling is set out in the Managing Health at Work Policy guideline and all boards have manual handling training programs. These training programs will include safe handling techniques, risk assessment and the use of lifting equipment.

NHS Staff

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) nurses and (b) other NHS workers have left the NHS due to long-term injuries received while lifting overweight and obese patients in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally and this is a matter for individual employers. The Scottish Government has supported NHS boards in developing their occupational health services including the roll out of the OHSxtra model that provides enhanced physiotherapy services for staff with musculo-skeletal problems. The minimum standard for the management of manual handling is set out in the Managing Health at Work Policy guideline and all boards have manual handling training programs. These training programs will include safe handling techniques, risk assessment and the use of lifting equipment.

NHS Staff

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what training is offered to NHS workers regarding lifting patients, in particular overweight and obese patients.

Nicola Sturgeon: All NHS boards provide a programme of manual handling training to their employees. The Managing Health at Work policy guideline sets out the minimum standards for manual handling training and these include safe handling techniques, risk assessment and the use of lifting equipment. NHS boards are tasked with ensuring that their policies are continually reviewed and updated and this will include their manual handling policy.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what appointments have been made by Scottish ministers to non-departmental bodies for which the UK Government has responsibility.

John Swinney: This information is not held centrally. Appointments to UK-wide bodies are usually made by UK ministers. Scottish ministers make relatively few appointments to bodies for which the UK Government has responsibility.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what appointments to non-departmental public bodies have been made by ministers since January 2009.

John Swinney: Information on appointments by Scottish ministers to non-departmental public bodies regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland is available on the Scottish Government website at www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/public-bodies/directory .

  Information on unregulated appointments is not held centrally.

Parliamentary Questions

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide an answer to question S3W-25603, which was due for answer on 31 July 2009.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-25603 on 18 September 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Pensions

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many pension funds exist for staff of the Scottish Executive and its agencies and which staff are members of each fund.

John Swinney: Matters relating to the Civil Service pension arrangements are reserved and responsibility for decisions on the administration of the scheme lie with Cabinet Office.

Pensions

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who the trustees are of the pension funds of employees of the Scottish Executive and its agencies.

John Swinney: Matters relating to the Civil Service pension arrangements are reserved and responsibility for decisions on the administration of the scheme lie with Cabinet Office.

Pensions

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who is responsible for investment decisions in relation to the pension funds of Scottish civil servants.

John Swinney: Matters relating to the Civil Service pension arrangements are reserved and responsibility for decisions on the administration of the scheme lie with Cabinet Office.

Procurement

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what common procurement initiatives were undertaken by it or its agencies in 2008-09 and what the estimated savings are.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government led a wide range of procurement initiatives over the period as part of its Public Procurement Reform Programme. Audit Scotland’s report on the programme, published on 23 July 2009, commented on savings it had achieved since its inception in 2006. Efficiency savings achieved by public sector bodies in 2008-09 are due to be published by the end of October 2009.

  The Scottish Government’s Procurement Directorate also led 20 separate common (or collaborative) contracting initiatives in 2008-09, on behalf of both the Scottish Government and its agencies and, in some cases, the wider public sector. The estimated savings of these initiatives, as well as transaction cost (costs of processing purchase orders and invoices) savings through the use of the e-Procurement Scotland system, are anticipated to be between £31.7 million and £35.6 million.

Procurement

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on consultants by (a) it and (b) its agencies in 2008-09 and what the equivalent figures were in 2007-08.

John Swinney: We are examining the available information and will write to the member as soon as possible. A copy will also be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 49262).

Procurement

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Sky News is available on the TV services provided to ministers and senior staff at (a) St Andrew’s House and (b) Victoria Quay.

John Swinney: Sky News is available on the TV services provided to ministers and senior staff at St. Andrews House but not at Victoria Quay.

Procurement

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to reduce the cost of (a) electricity, (b) gas and (c) water provided to buildings for which it is responsible.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government has a range of measures in place to ensure we are achieving the best value for money from the use of utilities. We have developed, and continue to develop, a range of initiatives aimed at improving the operational efficiency of our building stock and raising awareness among staff of the need to reduce consumption.

  We also take steps to ensure that our procurement of utilities provides the best possible value for money as follows:

  Following a competitive tendering process under EU procurement rules, Procurement Scotland has awarded a contract for the supply of electricity to Scottish Power and Scottish and Southern Energy.

  This new contract aims to reduce and manage financial risk in the current volatile market conditions by adopting a flexible procurement model. This involves purchasing tranches of energy over a longer period within a risk management framework, and is similar to that currently used by Office of Government Commerce (OGC) buying solutions and recommended by OGC as current best practice.

  The public sector working together has resulted in annual cost savings of approximately £10 million through aggregation of demand and buying flexibly on the wholesale market

  Procurement Scotland is also currently undertaking a tender exercise for the implementation of national contract for the supply of gas. The procurement strategy will follow that of the electricity contract and will commence on 1 April 2010 for an initial period of three years to 31 March 2013.

  In addition, Procurement Scotland is currently analysing the water market to identify and develop a strategy in line with the Procurement Reform Programme which will provide opportunities for benefits to the public sector on a national level.

Renewable Energy

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications it has received for (a) new wind energy developments and (b) extensions to existing wind energy developments under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 since May 2007.

Jim Mather: Since May 2007, the Scottish Government has received (a) seven applications for new wind energy developments and (b) seven applications for extensions to existing wind energy developments.

Renewable Energy

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications submitted after May 2007 for new wind energy developments under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 it has determined.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government has determined four applications.

Schools

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many primary schools have had occupancy rates of 101% or more in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority.

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many secondary schools have had occupancy rates of 101% or more in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority.

Keith Brown: Statistics on school capacity, by local authority, are published in School Estate Statistics  available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/PubSchooEstates .

Schools

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which primary schools in Perth and Kinross have had occupancy rates of 101% or more in the most recent year for which information is available.

Keith Brown: In the 2008 collection of school estate core facts, the school roll of the following primary schools in Perth and Kinross was 100% or more than capacity:

  Abernethy;

  Caledonian Road;

  Craigie;

  Murthly;

  St Dominic’s, and

  St John’s.

Schools

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which secondary schools in Perth and Kinross have had occupancy rates of 101% or more in the most recent year for which information is available.

Keith Brown: In the 2008 collection of school estate core facts, the school roll of the following secondary schools in Perth and Kinross was 100% or more than capacity:

  Crieff High;

  Kinross High;

  Perth High, and

  St Columba’s High.

Schools

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which primary schools in Angus have had occupancy rates of 101% or more in the most recent year for which information is available.

Keith Brown: In the 2008 collection of school estate core facts, the school roll of Liff Primary school in Angus was 100% or more than capacity.

Schools

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which secondary schools in Angus have had occupancy rates of 101% or more in the most recent year for which information is available.

Keith Brown: In the 2008 collection of school estate core facts, the school roll of Webster’s High Secondary school in Angus was 100% or more than capacity.

Schools

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which primary schools in Stirling have had occupancy rates of 101% or more in the most recent year for which information is available.

Keith Brown: In the 2008 collection of school estate core facts, there were no primary schools in Stirling with a school roll 100% or more than capacity.

Schools

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which secondary schools in Stirling have had occupancy rates of 101% or more in the most recent year for which information is available.

Keith Brown: In the 2008 collection of school estate core facts, there were no secondary schools in Stirling with a school roll 100% or more than capacity.

Scottish Government Buildings

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many residential houses are owned by it and its agencies and which of them are unoccupied.

John Swinney: The detailed information requested is currently being collated. I will write to the member as soon as the information is available and a copy will be placed in the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (Bib. number 49255).

Scottish Government Buildings

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what energy-saving measures have been introduced since May 2007 to buildings that are the responsibility of (a) it and (b) its agencies.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21591 on 17 March 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

  Information relating to energy and related environmental performance for the Scottish Government is detailed in the Scottish Government Environmental Performance Annual Report for 2007-08 which was published in May 2009, copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (Bib. number 48458). Information in respect of non-departmental public bodies, agencies and other associated bodies is not held centrally.

Scottish Government Travel

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who is responsible for providing air and rail tickets for (a) its employees and (b) employees of its agencies and what action has been taken to achieve economies in such expenditure since May 2007.

John Swinney: Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) were appointed to provide business travel services to the government following a competitive tendering exercise undertaken by the Office of Government Commerce Buying Solutions. All government agencies have the capability to use this collaborative contract.

  All government staff are encouraged to consider alternatives to business travel, such as telephone and video conference, and only to undertake travel where it is essential for the efficient delivery of government objectives. Where travel is considered to be essential the terms of the CWT contract requires them to ensure that the most economical fare options are offered. In addition, earlier this year all core government staff were given fresh instructions about the need to minimise the amount and cost of business related travel. Travel costs and the frequency of travel are regularly monitored by government senior management and new arrangements are being introduced to improve this monitoring.

Teachers

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate concerns that some local authorities may be terminating the contracts of temporary teachers before they have worked a full year in order to prevent them accumulating consequent employment rights.

Keith Brown: Recruitment and deployment of supply teachers are matters for local authority employers to determine. Local authorities have their own locally agreed procedures and the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers has developed a Code of Practice on the Use of Temporary Contracts to assist them in managing their staffing requirements.

Teachers

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of concerns that some local authorities seeking to make savings are targeting newly qualified teachers with fewer accumulated employment rights.

Keith Brown: The recruitment and deployment of supply teachers are matters for local authority employers to determine.

Teachers

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to prevent local authorities from seeking to make savings though the targeting of newly qualified teachers with fewer accumulated employment rights from doing so.

Keith Brown: The recruitment and deployment of supply teachers are matters for local authority employers to determine.

  Two of the recommendations of the Teacher Employment Working Group report published last year referred to post probationers and supply work. These are:

  Recommendation 4: Local authority employers should wherever possible use post-probation teachers to fill supply vacancies

  Recommendation 5: Local authorities should consider making more use of permanent supply pools to ensure stable employment opportunities are available to post-probation teachers.

  The purpose of these recommendations is to help to develop more opportunities for those newly qualified by reducing the use of retired teachers in supply. The recommendations on supply are for local authorities as the employers of teachers to take forward while bearing in mind both employment and age legislation.

Teachers

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking at a national level to address the growing mismatch between the number of newly qualified teachers and the number of teaching posts.

Keith Brown: We are taking forward the recommendations of the Teacher Employment Working Group. When the results of the 2008 teacher census became available the Scottish Government immediately recommended to the Scottish Funding Council that intakes for initial teacher education post graduate courses in 2009 be reduced by 500 places. Further reductions to training places will be made in 2010-11.

Teachers

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to increase the number of teachers on permanent contracts.

Keith Brown: The form of contract under which teachers are employed is a matter for individual local authorities.

Teachers

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to recommendation 6 of the Teacher Employment Working Group, whether it has reviewed the operation of the teacher winding down scheme.

Keith Brown: In 2008, the Scottish Government commissioned The Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) to review the operation of the Winding Down Scheme. The Scottish Government is currently considering GAD’s report and will respond to the recommendations in due course.

Tourism

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to promote golf in Perth and Kinross ahead of the Ryder Cup 2014.

Jim Mather: VisitScotland spends £1 million annually on the promotion of golf tourism and marketing is targeted at specialist golf groups as well as more widely across those consumer segments where golf may be an element of the visitor’s trip.

  Marketing activity includes publications, direct mailings, sponsorship of major tournaments, a dedicated golf website and presence at the International Golf Travel Market. The promotion of Perth and Kinross as a golfing destination is included in this activity.

  VisitScotland’s publication The Official Guide to Golf includes a 36 page section on the Historic Heartlands covering all golf courses in Perth and Kinross. This publication is circulated on-line to 115,000 consumers and includes a feature on the Ryder Cup which will expand in the run up to 2014. In addition to this, The Perthshire Golf Guide, a comprehensive guide to golf courses in Perth and Kinross, is available through VisitScotland’s local and national Visitor Information Centres, from VisitBritain, at golf courses and at golf events and exhibitions throughout the UK and Europe.

  Some of VisitScotland’s partners from Perth and Kinross join them at their exhibition stand at the International Golf Travel Market, including the Murrayshall House Hotel and the Gleneagles Hotel who have the opportunity to promote their own specific brands.

  The Ryder Cup logo and branding cannot be used in the promotion of golf in Scotland or Perth and Kinross until after the competition at Celtic Manor in 2010. After this point, VisitScotland will integrate the branding into all of its relevant marketing activity.

Tourism

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to promote Perth and Kinross to the rest of the United Kingdom and overseas as a golfing destination ahead of the Ryder Cup 2014.

Jim Mather: VisitScotland spends £1 million annually on the promotion of golf tourism and marketing is targeted at specialist golf groups as well as more widely across those consumer segments where golf may be an element of the visitor’s trip.

  Marketing activity includes publications, direct mailings, sponsorship of major tournaments, a dedicated golf website and presence at the International Golf Travel Market. The promotion of Perth and Kinross as a golfing destination is included in this activity.

  VisitScotland’s publication The Official Guide to Golf includes a 36 page section on the Historic Heartlands covering all golf courses in Perth and Kinross. This publication is circulated on-line to 115,000 consumers and includes a feature on the Ryder Cup which will expand in the run up to 2014. In addition to this, The Perthshire Golf Guide, a comprehensive guide to golf courses in Perth and Kinross, is available through VisitScotland’s local and national Visitor Information Centres, from VisitBritain, at golf courses and at golf events and exhibitions throughout the UK and Europe.

  Some of VisitScotland’s partners from Perth and Kinross join them at their exhibition stand at the International Golf Travel Market, including the Murrayshall House Hotel and the Gleneagles Hotel who have the opportunity to promote their own specific brands.

  The Ryder Cup logo and branding cannot be used in the promotion of golf in Scotland or Perth and Kinross until after the competition at Celtic Manor in 2010. After this point, VisitScotland will integrate the branding into all of its relevant marketing activity.

Tourism

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with VisitScotland, EventScotland and other tourism agencies regarding capitalising on the Ryder Cup coming to Gleneagles in 2014.

Jim Mather: The Ryder Cup 2014 will deliver significant economic impact to Scotland’s economy and project the country, its golfing credentials and heritage around the world through extensive international press and broadcast coverage.

  All partners involved in the delivery of the Ryder Cup are working to ensure these benefits are maximised and the Scottish Government is represented on a Ryder Cup Steering Group, along with EventScotland, VisitScotland, SportScotland, Scottish Development International, Scottish Enterprise, Perth and Kinross Council and the Gleneagles Hotel.

  As part of the build up to the Ryder Cup in 2014, EventScotland has committed to developing a range of golf events hosted annually in Scotland. These include the Senior Open Championships, the Scottish Challenge, which is beneficial to Scotland’s future golf stars, and the Ladies Scottish Open which demonstrates a commitment to women’s golf in Scotland. This support package has been in place since 2003 and will continue to 2018 and beyond to ensure Scotland retains a portfolio of quality, sustainable golf events beyond the completion of the Ryder Cup in 2014.